HiddenVoice
Joined Oct 2004
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Reviews73
HiddenVoice's rating
Bollywood has been churning up some impressive films recently,and improving the quality of their films.But they have yet to learn to master the art of film-making.Their films are not yet perfect or great; they still have a long way to go.But after having seen this film,I'm glad to say that they are getting close.Bollywood has the potential to make great movies and they are trying and improving and almost getting there.But they still fall short of spectacular results.
I would say EKLAVYA is by far the best of the very,very rare number of good films that Bollywood has made throughout their existence.Why,because it's more focused and well made than any of their minute number of good films.It's got rich atmosphere,intriguing setup,brilliant visuals,impressive sets,costumes and a different vision.But,overall,it is still a flawed epic.
The story revolves around a family,that is hiding secrets that once revealed,might have deadly consequences upon them.It is inspired by some of Shakespeare's works and it echoes throughout the film.It's about one aging guard(Bachchan),named Eklavya; who has served for the family all his life.Many generations of his family has served before him and he must continue to do so,carry on their legacy.The family of the Kindom of Devigarh itself has mysteries that keeps echoing throughout the film.Eklavya has sworn to protect the family no matter what.He also protects some of the secrets that can never be spread throughout the Kindom.Until,one night,the Queen of the Kindom dies,besides her is her mourning husband.This starts the doubts and accusations within the family.The Queen's Son,Prince Harshwardhan(Khan) arrives to take responsibility of the family.But there are other things going on in the palace.Slowly,one mystery after another pops up and secrets are revealed,and as the story progresses we see more and more people dying because of the secrets.Putting Eklavya into a painful position and come to terms with the happenings and the truths about this family's dark history.
EKLAVYA is an intriguing period piece.It blends ancient settings with modern lifestyle.Giving the film a unique look.The film functions like a thriller,but focusing more on melodrama and characters,that aren't well written.And it's a well made drama that borderlines on melodrama.But the film has flaws,especially in the second half and by the time it ends,it feels incomplete.It's a relatively short film by Bollywood standards and I was more than surprised.Not only did it manage to tell an engrossing story but also wrapped it up with style with its short length.And the best thing is that it's devoid of songs,only one song throughout the film.But,I guess,because the story is wrapped around an epic setting,it needed a longer running time to develop the plot and characters more.Some of the characters were weak and not well written,some of their back stories are never told and leaves a lot to be desired.
First half or so into the movie,you are hooked and quite entertained,but after the interval,the film slowly drags,since the plot becomes weak and it's going in one direction; so there isn't much to tell.Subplots are added to compensate the running time.In other words,it could've trimmed a little more of the length and finished it quickly.That would've made the film perfect.But it gets boring as it drags the story and adds subplot and makes the whole of second half contrived.But the third act,which is the big revelation of who is behind the whole scenario,somewhat pays off with satisfaction.
Praise the Director who manages to keep the story afloat,which could've been worse.The whole movie could've been worse if it were handled by someone else.But the Director impresses you with his visual presentation of the story and keep you entertained.His script might be flawed but he succeeds in good storytelling,which is rare in Bollywood. But what he should be thanking most is the film's Cinematography,which elevates the material and gives a bold and rich look to the film.And some impressive set design and costumes,with able score.
However,what really keeps this film afloat is the acting.Each and every actor deserves equal recognition.They all have a part to play and they all help in move the story forward.You can't just give out all the praises to Bachchan alone.He was terrific,but the other actors allowed him to emote the character well.But,of course,Mr.Bachchan's performance is the strength of the film.His silence and his eyes says more than his words.I've never liked this actor and thought he was yet another over-hyped Bollywood actor,like any other.But after watching him in this,I understand why people worship him.But I still thought he could've done a little better.Saif Ali Khan was quite competent and gives a good supporting performance,but his character doesn't allows him to do much.This guy has the looks and moves of a good actor.Sanjay Dutt was just great in his small part.Booman Irani's character was flawed as well,and his acting sometimes goes from over the top to annoying.But if that's what his character was supposed to be,than he succeeds.He manages to make his character dark enough to be impressed.Jackie Shroff , Jimmy Shergil as well as the beautiful Vidya Balan have little to do and wouldn't really comment on them.
On the whole,this is an ambitious piece of work that could've been better.But for what it is,it's a fine example that Bollywood is capable of making good movies,only if they try.And I hope they keep making films like these.I would like to see more of it in the future.This, with films like Black Friday, proves that Bollywood is learning, and improving but they have yet to learn a lot to be able to compete at a world class level. However,Indian audiences opt for mindless junks or poorly made films like Dhoom 2 or Guru than appreciating films like this one.Reducing the chances of making films like Eklavya .I wouldn't recommend this film to be sent as an entry to the Oscars,Black Friday deserves that position.But it wouldn't hurt if they send it.This film goes to my list of only a handful of Bollywood films that I've enjoyed.
B-, 3/5 , 7/10
I would say EKLAVYA is by far the best of the very,very rare number of good films that Bollywood has made throughout their existence.Why,because it's more focused and well made than any of their minute number of good films.It's got rich atmosphere,intriguing setup,brilliant visuals,impressive sets,costumes and a different vision.But,overall,it is still a flawed epic.
The story revolves around a family,that is hiding secrets that once revealed,might have deadly consequences upon them.It is inspired by some of Shakespeare's works and it echoes throughout the film.It's about one aging guard(Bachchan),named Eklavya; who has served for the family all his life.Many generations of his family has served before him and he must continue to do so,carry on their legacy.The family of the Kindom of Devigarh itself has mysteries that keeps echoing throughout the film.Eklavya has sworn to protect the family no matter what.He also protects some of the secrets that can never be spread throughout the Kindom.Until,one night,the Queen of the Kindom dies,besides her is her mourning husband.This starts the doubts and accusations within the family.The Queen's Son,Prince Harshwardhan(Khan) arrives to take responsibility of the family.But there are other things going on in the palace.Slowly,one mystery after another pops up and secrets are revealed,and as the story progresses we see more and more people dying because of the secrets.Putting Eklavya into a painful position and come to terms with the happenings and the truths about this family's dark history.
EKLAVYA is an intriguing period piece.It blends ancient settings with modern lifestyle.Giving the film a unique look.The film functions like a thriller,but focusing more on melodrama and characters,that aren't well written.And it's a well made drama that borderlines on melodrama.But the film has flaws,especially in the second half and by the time it ends,it feels incomplete.It's a relatively short film by Bollywood standards and I was more than surprised.Not only did it manage to tell an engrossing story but also wrapped it up with style with its short length.And the best thing is that it's devoid of songs,only one song throughout the film.But,I guess,because the story is wrapped around an epic setting,it needed a longer running time to develop the plot and characters more.Some of the characters were weak and not well written,some of their back stories are never told and leaves a lot to be desired.
First half or so into the movie,you are hooked and quite entertained,but after the interval,the film slowly drags,since the plot becomes weak and it's going in one direction; so there isn't much to tell.Subplots are added to compensate the running time.In other words,it could've trimmed a little more of the length and finished it quickly.That would've made the film perfect.But it gets boring as it drags the story and adds subplot and makes the whole of second half contrived.But the third act,which is the big revelation of who is behind the whole scenario,somewhat pays off with satisfaction.
Praise the Director who manages to keep the story afloat,which could've been worse.The whole movie could've been worse if it were handled by someone else.But the Director impresses you with his visual presentation of the story and keep you entertained.His script might be flawed but he succeeds in good storytelling,which is rare in Bollywood. But what he should be thanking most is the film's Cinematography,which elevates the material and gives a bold and rich look to the film.And some impressive set design and costumes,with able score.
However,what really keeps this film afloat is the acting.Each and every actor deserves equal recognition.They all have a part to play and they all help in move the story forward.You can't just give out all the praises to Bachchan alone.He was terrific,but the other actors allowed him to emote the character well.But,of course,Mr.Bachchan's performance is the strength of the film.His silence and his eyes says more than his words.I've never liked this actor and thought he was yet another over-hyped Bollywood actor,like any other.But after watching him in this,I understand why people worship him.But I still thought he could've done a little better.Saif Ali Khan was quite competent and gives a good supporting performance,but his character doesn't allows him to do much.This guy has the looks and moves of a good actor.Sanjay Dutt was just great in his small part.Booman Irani's character was flawed as well,and his acting sometimes goes from over the top to annoying.But if that's what his character was supposed to be,than he succeeds.He manages to make his character dark enough to be impressed.Jackie Shroff , Jimmy Shergil as well as the beautiful Vidya Balan have little to do and wouldn't really comment on them.
On the whole,this is an ambitious piece of work that could've been better.But for what it is,it's a fine example that Bollywood is capable of making good movies,only if they try.And I hope they keep making films like these.I would like to see more of it in the future.This, with films like Black Friday, proves that Bollywood is learning, and improving but they have yet to learn a lot to be able to compete at a world class level. However,Indian audiences opt for mindless junks or poorly made films like Dhoom 2 or Guru than appreciating films like this one.Reducing the chances of making films like Eklavya .I wouldn't recommend this film to be sent as an entry to the Oscars,Black Friday deserves that position.But it wouldn't hurt if they send it.This film goes to my list of only a handful of Bollywood films that I've enjoyed.
B-, 3/5 , 7/10
Happy Feet is a delightful,happy-go-lucky film that leaves you feeling happy and wanting to tap dance.It's a well conceived animated film with an ecological,environmental message for kids.Yes,it has themes that may not be suitable for kids,but it's also there for the mature audience to enjoy and think about it.It's a thinking person's animated film.
As you know,it's about Penguins,and their empire.Mumble,a young penguin who can't sing has developed a very odd skill among his beings,who have a heart for singing.He tap dances,and he's a genius at that.But the Penguin community survive on their singing.As everyone else like him can do it and master it,Mumble feels isolated.He decides to leave and explore the world.He stumbles upon some new penguins who find him really cool.They get along well and all.Then Mumble meets Lovelace ,who has encountered the so called "Aliens"(that is ,the humans),and Mumble wants to find out who has been stealing their fishes,which has made it hard to survive for the Penguins.He embarks on a journey to face the Aliens and request for fishes.But as he enters the world of humans,it becomes clear that destruction has already gone underway.Humans are taking away all the fishes and destroying the Antartic by polluting the seas and all that.Mumble's world is plagued by these events and he tries to confront them in the end and prove himself worth to his kind.
The story takes many turns and sets it different from other animated features.It's unique in its animation and execution.George Miller tries to present a realistic film than the usually cartoonish animated flicks.He sets serious topics in the plot and allows both the young and mature audience think and start a debate about our actions and all.It's a smart move.But on the way,he kind of looses his message and mixes things up,it also becomes a mess.But Miller keeps thing afloat with the cute little penguins and the gleeful environment he creates.Adding musical numbers and dances to keep the kids entertained and love the film,while the grown up enjoy it along with thinking about what the film is trying to say.It sets new grounds,and for that,this film and its creators deserve all the praise and the award it got.
But beware,some elements of the film may prompt your kid to question in the wrong way.The sexual references and some frightening scenes involving very cute,loving penguins may disturb the parents.But,I guess it was necessary.
The CGI was breathtaking.The visuals and look of the film was flawless.It just keeps you bewildered for its technical genius.It's a pitch perfect animated feature.It ranks amongst the best Animated features ever made,topping Toy Story,Shrek and what not,except Incredibles.For me Incredibles and this film remain the favorite.
But,you should watch this film for its different approach and clever execution.It's adorable and also somewhat thought provoking.And it leaves you with a smile.So,I would say it's classic animation.A technical and animated breakthrough,in a groundbreaking sense.
As you know,it's about Penguins,and their empire.Mumble,a young penguin who can't sing has developed a very odd skill among his beings,who have a heart for singing.He tap dances,and he's a genius at that.But the Penguin community survive on their singing.As everyone else like him can do it and master it,Mumble feels isolated.He decides to leave and explore the world.He stumbles upon some new penguins who find him really cool.They get along well and all.Then Mumble meets Lovelace ,who has encountered the so called "Aliens"(that is ,the humans),and Mumble wants to find out who has been stealing their fishes,which has made it hard to survive for the Penguins.He embarks on a journey to face the Aliens and request for fishes.But as he enters the world of humans,it becomes clear that destruction has already gone underway.Humans are taking away all the fishes and destroying the Antartic by polluting the seas and all that.Mumble's world is plagued by these events and he tries to confront them in the end and prove himself worth to his kind.
The story takes many turns and sets it different from other animated features.It's unique in its animation and execution.George Miller tries to present a realistic film than the usually cartoonish animated flicks.He sets serious topics in the plot and allows both the young and mature audience think and start a debate about our actions and all.It's a smart move.But on the way,he kind of looses his message and mixes things up,it also becomes a mess.But Miller keeps thing afloat with the cute little penguins and the gleeful environment he creates.Adding musical numbers and dances to keep the kids entertained and love the film,while the grown up enjoy it along with thinking about what the film is trying to say.It sets new grounds,and for that,this film and its creators deserve all the praise and the award it got.
But beware,some elements of the film may prompt your kid to question in the wrong way.The sexual references and some frightening scenes involving very cute,loving penguins may disturb the parents.But,I guess it was necessary.
The CGI was breathtaking.The visuals and look of the film was flawless.It just keeps you bewildered for its technical genius.It's a pitch perfect animated feature.It ranks amongst the best Animated features ever made,topping Toy Story,Shrek and what not,except Incredibles.For me Incredibles and this film remain the favorite.
But,you should watch this film for its different approach and clever execution.It's adorable and also somewhat thought provoking.And it leaves you with a smile.So,I would say it's classic animation.A technical and animated breakthrough,in a groundbreaking sense.
Original,Hilarious,full of action,this is as hot as it gets.The smartly written script and witty characters make this a must see for action comedy fans.It breaks new grounds and reinvents the genre by giving us a whole new bunch of excitement over it.It's rated R and that makes it even better.Watch it and you'll feel rewarded after Hollywood's failure to come up with anything original in this genre.The continuous flow of crappy entertainments and very little,and rare originality coming only from Art-house flicks and sometimes Blockbuster films.I loved this flick.
A-, 8.5/10, ****/5....I'll write the full review later.
A-, 8.5/10, ****/5....I'll write the full review later.